Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in Tehran
Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in a “treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran”, states the Lebanon-based militant group on July 31st. The recently appointed President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed to make Israel regret its “cowardly action”, with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei adding that vengeance for Haniyeh’s death was Tehran’s duty.
The Israeli government has not commented on the killing, though the Israeli military has stated that it is carrying out a situational assessment.
Ismail Haniyeh was initially involved with Hamas after its creation during the first Intifada against Israeli occupation, which started in 1987. After multiple stints in jail for protesting against Israeli authorities and a year of exile in Lebanon, Haniyeh was appointed head of a Hamas office in 1997 and subsequently rose through the ranks of the organisation. Upon winning the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections in Palestine, Haniyeh, as the leader of Hamas, pursued a policy of armed resistance against the Israeli occupation.
Al Jazeera and agencies
